Once a Slave to Money

By Nataushia Miller

I was once a slave to money. The lack of it, the need for it, the ever-fluctuating amount of it dominated my thoughts, emotions, actions, and in many ways, my life. The concept of money kept me up at night; its reality kept me anxious throughout the day. After experiencing ten months of homelessness in 2012, as an educated woman (with a master’s degree), wife, mother of one child while pregnant with number two, could you blame me?

We didn’t become homeless overnight. It was a slow occurrence after an unexpected job loss two days before baby number one was born in July 2011. Such a traumatic experience opened my eyes to the lies I’ve been told for years: “Go to college and get a degree so you can get a good-paying job. Then start a family, buy a car, buy a home, etc.” Those lies that were probably once the truth back-in-the-day hoodwinked me into believing that life would unfold smoothly in chronological order because no one told me the real deal:

“Inflation never ends! The job market is flaky! Unions no longer exist! The old retirement plan is extinct! Economy recessions occur in cycles! Unemployment is a reality! More importantly, homelessness does not discriminate!”

After landing a one-bedroom apartment in November of 2012, after ten months of homelessness, one month before baby number two was born, I decided that such a devastating blow will never happen again—not on my watch! So, what did I do, you may ask?

I jumped from one network marketing company to the next. First, there was 5Linx, then Melaleuca, and finally, It Works before I realized that network marketing isn’t my jam. The recruiting component was nerve-racking, the marketing of the products was too routine-ish, and no matter the company’s momentum, I would lose excitement and find myself cruising down the boredom lane. Then eventually, I wrote a book.

Although I’ve always wanted to become an author, starting many books, never finishing any, I did not intend to write this book. One night while reflecting upon my healing journey from experiencing homelessness, I cried out to God, desiring to know why I still felt so far from His presence internally. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that it was because I never dealt with my physiological responses to Hurricane Katrina (yes, I am a Hurricane Katrina survivor).

Immediately, I began to journal daily as a means for inner healing. By day five, while reviewing my journal entries, I thought to myself, “this looks like a book,” and the Holy Spirit replied with two words, “It is!” I completed the manuscript for my first book, Is Freedom Your Reflection in the Mirror? Eight Steps to Overcoming Trauma, in six weeks fall of 2014 and released in August of 2015 (the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina).

Although my book is valuable and life-changing for readers, wherein I inspire them with my personal story, educate them about trauma, and guide them through the healing process, I was still on the prowl to conjure up ways in creating streams of income. In the back of my mind, I was like, “Show me the money,” totally oblivious that I AM THE MONEY!

We were still living in a one-bedroom apartment with our third baby as of July 2015. Don’t get me wrong; there was nothing exploitative in what I was doing. I found legitimate legal ways to incur extra income to support my family. However, as a child of God, I was committing an idolatrous crime by not keeping God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the forefront of my pursuit.

I was in self-preservation mode; I was not purpose-driven. I was all about making sales; I was not aspiring to make or be a difference. I was looking for ways to create multiple sources of income; I was not casting a valuable vision that would attract the monetary provision. Until one day, when the Holy Spirit knocked on the door of my heart, asserting, “We will not move you and your family from this place (our one-bedroom apartment) until you get your mind right about money.”

At that moment, it became clear to me that I had become a slave to money. Yeah, I appeared to include the LORD on my income-building excursions with my religious talk, but from the depths of my heart, the LORD was not in the equation at all whatsoever. For the Word of God says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have; for He said, I will never leave you or forsake you. So, we can say with confidence; the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6 NRSV). I had to shift; I had to repent. I needed to return to my first Love in my life regarding money.

How did I follow through with my repentance? Since the Bible tells us that it is God who gives us the ability to create wealth (Deuteronomy 8:17-20), I conducted an in-depth word study on the word wealth in October 2015. As I allowed the Holy Spirit to renew my mind about wealth as a noun is a state of being, I came to know and believe with conviction in my heart that I AM THE MONEY!

No longer was I obsessed with building streams of income. My focus was on pursuing the Source of wealth who resides within (the Holy Spirit) for clarity on how to unlock my genius creative ability to build wealth from a posture and position of my divine purpose for being. Shortly after that, in January of 2016, my family and I moved into a two-bedroom apartment! Then the Spirit of the LORD gave me my first money-making Signature Coaching Program, the Freedom from Trauma Boot Camp (formerly known as Fear to Freedom Boot Camp), that I launched in March of 2016. Won’t He do it!

YOU ARE THE MONEY! Practical Application

The following are a few practical applications from my word study that I pray will help you come to know that you are the money:

1. Wealth is a mindset. The dictionary defines wealth as “an abundance or profusion of anything; plentiful amount.” Jesus, while in His humanity, stated, “I came that they might have life more abundantly” (John 10:10). The word might, implies that there is a prerequisite to tapping into the possibility of the abundant life that Jesus came to give because it is not a guarantee. Therefore, you must commit to cultivating a mindset of wealth.
2. Wealth is a vision. Without vision, people cast off restraint (Proverbs 29:18). In other words, wealth requires discipline, and to maintain diligence, you must have a solid concept, and to develop a secured vision, you must have the ability to see with your mind (imagination) and not your sight—physical eyes (Hebrews 11:1). When you are wealthy with divine insight, you think creatively, consciously, and critically to receive strategic clarity and act courageously.
3. Wealth is the Word. The company you keep determines your worth, value, and wealth. Are the thoughts, behavior, people, places, and activities of your life liabilities or assets? Are they subtracting or adding value to you? Who is your most considerable investment?  Conduct a wealth inventory assessment to align every thought, behavior, person, place, thing, or action in your life with the delight of the law of the LORD—the Word of Life that will bring you great success even as your soul prospers (Psalm 1:1-2 & 3 John 1:2).
4. Wealth is Ever Increasing. Wealth will continue to increase as you do. When you remain committed to your growth, development, and transformation process as a carrier and creator of wealth, you will live in the realm of more than enough lacking no good thing. You will witness excess productivity and results in your life; your leaves of prosperity will not whither, as who you are, and all that you do, and touch consistently grows (Psalm 1:3).
5. Wealth Reflection. Journal your responses and thoughts to the following: What is wealth? How do you obtain the ability to create it? Read, review, and reflect upon 2 Kings 4:1-7.

Wealth is who you are and can create!

~Freedom Coach Nataushia Miller

NATAUSHIA MILLER is a daughter of the King, Author, Freedom Coach, Global Speaker, and the Founder of Character for Life Global, Inc. She has helped countless people break through internal barriers such as fear and shame due to unhealed trauma. Her life-coaching style offers a unique approach with Biblical Principles and sociological concepts for leaders who desire Healing from Trauma God’s Way.

Contact Nataushia: www.c4lglobal.com